the essays of montaigne, v16-第13章

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one　day　tried　to　persuade　the　Athenians　to　give　order　that　their　asses
might　be　employed　in　tilling　the　ground　as　well　as　the　horses　were；　to
which　it　was　answered　that　that　animal　was　not　destined　for　such　a
service：　〃That's　all　one；〃　replied　he；　〃you　have　only　to　order　it：　for
the　most　ignorant　and　incapable　men　you　employ　in　the　commands　of　your
wars　incontinently　become　worthy　enough；　because　you　employ　them〃；　to
which　the　custom　of　so　many　people；　who　canonise　the　king　they　have
chosen　out　of　their　own　body；　and　are　not　content　only　to　honour；　but
must　adore　them；　comes　very　near。　　Those　of　Mexico；　after　the　ceremonies
of　their　king's　coronation　are　over；　dare　no　more　look　him　in　the　face；
but；　as　if　they　had　deified　him　by　his　royalty。　　Amongst　the　oaths　they
make　him　take　to　maintain　their　religion；　their　laws；　and　liberties；　to
be　valiant；　just；　and　mild；　he　moreover　swears　to　make　the　sun　run　his
course　in　his　wonted　light；　to　drain　the　clouds　at　fit　seasons；　to　make
rivers　run　their　course；　and　to　cause　the　earth　to　bear　all　things
necessary　for　his　people。

I　differ　from　this　common　fashion；　and　am　more　apt　to　suspect　the
capacity　when　I　see　it　accompanied　with　that　grandeur　of　fortune　and
public　applause；　we　are　to　consider　of　what　advantage　it　is　to　speak　when
a　man　pleases；　to　choose　his　subject；　to　interrupt　or　change　it；　with　a
magisterial　authority；　to　protect　himself　from　the　oppositions　of　others
by　a　nod；　a　smile；　or　silence；　in　the　presence　of　an　assembly　that
trembles　with　reverence　and　respect。　　A　man　of　a　prodigious　fortune
coming　to　give　his　judgment　upon　some　slight　dispute　that　was　foolishly
set　on　foot　at　his　table；　began　in　these　words：　〃It　can　be　no　other　but
a　liar　or　a　fool　that　will　say　otherwise　than　so　and　so。〃　　Pursue　this
philosophical　point　with　a　dagger　in　your　hand。

There　is　another　observation　I　have　made；　from　which　I　draw　great
advantage；　which　is；　that　in　conferences　and　disputes；　every　word　that
seems　to　be　good；　is　not　immediately　to　be　accepted。　　Most　men　are　rich
in　borrowed　sufficiency：　a　man　may　say　a　good　thing；　give　a　good　answer；
cite　a　good　sentence；　without　at　all　seeing　the　force　of　either　the　one
or　the　other。　　That　a　man　may　not　understand　all　he　borrows；　may　perhaps
be　verified　in　myself。　　A　man　must　not　always　presently　yield；　what　truth
or　beauty　soever　may　seem　to　be　in　the　opposite　argument；　either　he　must
stoutly　meet　it；　or　retire；　under　colour　of　not　understanding　it；　to　try；
on　all　parts；　how　it　is　lodged　in　the　author。　　It　may　happen　that　we
entangle　ourselves；　and　help　to　strengthen　the　point　itself。　　I　have
sometimes；　in　the　necessity　and　heat　of　the　combat；　made　answers　that
have　gone　through　and　through；　beyond　my　expectation　or　hope；　I　only　gave
them　in　number；　they　were　received　in　weight。　　As；　when　I　contend　with　a
vigorous　man；　I　please　myself　with　anticipating　his　conclusions；　I　ease
him　of　the　trouble　of　explaining　himself；　I　strive　to　forestall　his
imagination　whilst　it　is　yet　springing　and　imperfect；　the　order　and
pertinency　of　his　understanding　warn　and　threaten　me　afar　off：　I　deal
quite　contrary　with　the　others；　I　must　understand；　and　presuppose　nothing
but　by　them。　　If　they　determine　in　general　words；　〃　this　is　good；　that　is
naught；〃　and　that　they　happen　to　be　in　the　right；　see　if　it　be　not
fortune　that　hits　it　off　for　them：　let　them　a　little　circumscribe　and
limit　their　judgment；　why；　or　how；　it　is　so。　　These　universal　judgments
that　I　see　so　common；　signify　nothing；　these　are　men　who　salute　a　whole
people　in　a　crowd　together；　they；　who　have　a　real　acquaintance；　take
notice　of　and　salute　them　individually　and　by　name。　　But　'tis　a　hazardous
attempt；　and　from　which　I　have；　more　than　every　day；　seen　it　fall　out；
that　weak　understandings；　having　a　mind　to　appear　ingenious；　in　taking
notice；　as　they　read　a　book；　of　what　is　best　and　most　to　be　admired；　fix
their　admiration　upon　some　thing　so　very　ill　chosen；　that　instead　of
making　us　discern　the　excellence　of　the　author；　they　make　us　very　well
see　their　own　ignorance。　　This　exclamation　is　safe；　〃That　is　fine；〃　after
having　heard　a　whole　page　of　Virgil；　　by　that　the　cunning　sort　save
themselves；　but　to　undertake　to　follow　him　line　by　line；　and；　with　an
expert　and　tried　judgment；　to　observe　where　a　good　author　excels　himself；
weighing　the　words；　phrases；　inventions；　and　his　various　excellences；　one
after　another；　keep　aloof　from　that：

　　　　　〃Videndum　est；　non　modo　quid　quisque　loquatur；　sed　etiam　quid
　　　　　quisque　sentiat；　atque　etiam　qua　de　causa　quisque　sentiat。〃

　　　　　＇A　man　is　not　only　to　examine　what　every　one　says；　but　also　what
　　　　　every　one　thinks；　and　from　what　reason　every　one　thinks。
　　　　　〃Cicero；　De　Offic：；　i。　41。＇

I　every　day　hear　fools　say　things　that　are　not　foolish：　they　say　a　good
thing；　let　us　examine　how　far　they　understand　it；　whence　they　have　it；
and　what　they　mean　by　it。　　We　help　them　to　make　use　of　this　fine
expression；　of　this　fine　sentence；　which　is　none　of　theirs；　they　only
have　it　in　keeping；　they　have　bolted　it　out　at　a　venture；　we　place　it　for
them　in　credit　and　esteem。　　You　lend　them　your　hand。　　To　what　purpose？
they　do　not　think　themselves　obliged　to　you　for　it；　and　become　more　inept
still。　　Don't　help　them；　let　them　alone；　they　will　handle　the　matter　like
people　who　are　afraid　of　burning　their　fingers；　they　dare　change　neither
its　seat　nor　light；　nor　break　into　it；　shake　it　never　so　little；　it　slips
through　their　fingers；　they　give　it　up；　be　it　never　so　strong　or　fair
they　are　fine　weapons；　but　ill　hafted：　How　many　times　have　I　seen　the
experience　of　this？　　Now；　if　you　come　to　explain　anything　to　them；　and　to
confirm　them；　they　catch　at　it；　and　presently　rob　you　of　the　advantage　of
your　interpretation；　〃It　was　what　I　was　about　to　say；　it　was　just　my
idea；　if　I　did　not　express　it　so；　it　was　for　want　of　language。〃　　Mere
wind！　　Malice　itself　must　be　employed　to　correct　this　arrogant　ignorance。
The　dogma　of　Hegesias；　〃that　we　are　neither　to　hate　nor　accuse；　but
instruct；〃　is　correct　elsewhere；　but　here　'tis　injustice　and　inhumanity
to　relieve　and　set　him　right　who　stands　in　no　need　on't；　and　is　the　worse
for't。　　I　love　to　let　them　step　deeper　into　the　mire；　and　so　deep；　that；
if　it　be　possible；　they　may　at　last　discern　their　error。

Folly　and　absurdity　are　not　to　be　cured　by　bare　admonition；　and　what
Cyrus　answered　to　him；　who　importuned　him　to　harangue　his　army；　upon　the
point　of　battle；　〃that　men　do　not　become　valiant　and　warlike　upon　a
sudden；　by　a　fine　oration；　no　more　than　a　man　becomes　a　good　musician　by
hearing　a　fine　song；〃　may　properly　be　said　of　such　an　admonition　as　this。
These　are　apprenticeships　that　are　to　be　served　beforehand；　by　a　long　and
continued　education。　　We　owe　this　care　and　this　assiduity　of　correction
and　instruction　to　our　own　people；　but　to　go　preach　to　the　first　passer…
by；　and　to　become　tutor　to　the　ignorance　and　folly　of　the　first　we　meet；
is　a　thing　that　I　abhor。　　I　rarely　do　it；　even　in　private　conversation；
and　rather　give　up　the　whole　thing　than　proceed　to　these　initiatory　and
school　instructions；　my　humour　is　unfit　either　to　speak　or　write　for
beginners；　but　for　things　that　are　said　in　common　discourse；　or　amongst
other　things；　I　never　oppose　them　either　by　word　or　sign；　how　false　or
absurd　soever。

As　to　the　rest；　nothing　vexes　me　so　much　in　folly　as　that　it　is　more
satisfied　with　itself　than　any　reason　can　reasonably　be。　　'Tis
unfortunate　that　prudence　forbids　us　to　satisfy　and　trust　ourselves；
and　always　dismisses　us　timorous　and　discontented；　whereas　obstinacy　and
temerity　fill　those　who　are　possessed　with　them　with　joy　and　assurance。
'Tis　for　the　most　ignorant　to　look　at　other　men　over　the　shoulder；　always
returning　from　the　combat　full　of　joy　and　triumph。　　And　moreover；　for　the
most　part；　this　arrogance　of　speech　and　gaiety　of　countenance　gives　them
the　better　of　it　in　the　opinion　of　the　audience；　which　is　commonly　weak
and　incapable　of　well　judging　and　discerning　the　real　advantage。
Obstinacy　of　opinion　and　heat　in　argument　are　the　surest　proofs　of　folly；
is　there　anything　so　assured；　resolute；　disdainful；　contemplat